Destiny's 15 best weapons (and how to get them)

Destiny has a lot of weapons. A lot. The sheer scope of Destiny’s varied weaponry means it’s often hard to know which ones you should keep on hand, which ones you can safely dismantle, and which ones you can devour with your Light-hungry favourites.

Here’s our pick of Destiny’s biggest and best weapons fresh from Rise of Iron, our reasons for loving ‘em, and details on how to find ‘em. If you think we’ve missed something special out, let us know in the comments below…

What it’s called: ThornWhere to find it: Complete associated Exotic bountyWhy we love it: Whilst nerfed somewhat when compared with its original iteration, Thorn remains the gun we love to hate, particularly if you’re staring down its barrel in the Crucible. This hand cannon continues to injure your opponent long after your bullets strike, so this is particularly devastating if your prey thought they’d scrambled for cover just in time…

What it’s called: Event Horizon Where to find it: Crucible quartermaster, Tower Why we love it: Though the stunted magazine size is a bummer, this nippy sniper rifle comes with Shortgaze and Hidden Hand, which makes it a surprisingly stable choice for taking down Guardians - even those wracking Super Ability havoc - quickly, precisely, and efficiently. It’s probably better for PvP than PvE, but it’s unlikely to let you down in either case.

What it’s called: The PalindromeWhere to find it: Crucible quartermaster, Tower Why we love it: The Palindrome (though seemingly unable to work backwards as well as it does forwards) has phenomenal range, fab recoil assist and a surprisingly generous mag limit. Okay, so you compromise with your reload speed, but if you love a hand cannon but get frustrated by their range, this might be the gun for you… especially in the Crucible rolling Rangefinder and Rifled Barrel.

What it’s called: Red DeathWhere to find it: Xur / random dropWhy we love it: Often overlooked by virtue of its slow and steady pace, this high-impact, generous mag pulse rifle is special not just for what it does to your enemies, but also what it does to you, especially following the Pulse Rifle buff. Level it up and you’ll be able to replenish your health faster and increase reload speed, which is brilliant for taking out swarms of enemies in quick succession, particularly if you’re hanging around Crota and friends.

What it’s called: QuantiplasmWhere to find it: Wrath of the Machine raidWhy we love it: Here’s another example of a weapon that’s interesting for its affect on you, not just other people. Perks that boost your sprint speed, armour, and agility come at a cost - your reload and stability are low, and there’s poor aim assist - but roll Linear Compensator, Battle Runner, Smallbore, and Running Interference and you’ll be a formidable one-on-one opponent.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Part of GR+'s news crew, Vikki is a (jumpy) survival horror survivalist with a penchant for sci-fi, shooters, thrillers, and a strong cup of Yorkshire tea. A committed Guardian and Spartan, she's terrible at FPSs, but loves 'em all the same.